Online gambling sites like William Hill are reporting an increasing number of players from the Chicago area. The sites are benefiting from the Illinois legislature’s failure to produce an expanded gambling bill. State Rep. Bob Rita had sponsored a bill calling for one mega-casino in Chicago or a smaller Chicago casino plus three smaller ones throughout Illinois. However, neither option succeeded, primarily due to poor timing, legislators said, and disagreements over revenue sharing.
Previously, one casino gambling bill failed to reach a vote and two others were vetoed by Governor Pat Quinn. Some observers believe the measure are simply “fetcher bills” that are floated to raise campaign funds, then withdrawn. The casino industry donated an average of $1 million dollars a year between 2002 and 2010.
